Integrity: The Role of a Parent with Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

This week on Soft Skills 101 podcast, we are joined by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki for the next episode in our integrity series. The main topic of this podcast is the role of the parent. Here is a brief outline of what we discussed:

Bible Verse: Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 11:19

Role of the Parent – teaching /instructing

Word Study: Teaching role – mora Parent horeh

Role of the parent is teacher/instructors-

Parenting small children= ownership

Parenting older children= leadership

Different kinds of parenting mistakes

Neglectful

Holding on too long- kids want to be empowered- around 10-12 years of age

How do we change our role from Ownership to Leadership?

Listen to our kids

Empower and encourage them

Get them into this habit of having them share in their decisions.

Allow room for personal autonomy.

2 types of organisms-

Those with a spine

Those with a shell- when you take away the shell, the organism dies.

Guided discussion with our kids

Present a biblical passage to our kids

Ask kids for interpretation of it

Leave it at that- don’t correct or give your own interpretation

Allow them to have ownership of their own interpretation of scripture

Nurture the dynamic and save the lessons for other conversations.

Talk about important and deep things and allow the uncertain to be part of the discussion with your kids.

Make sure in the routine of our lives that context exists in a way that is enjoyable.

Take Sabbath/ Shabat (Sacred Time): time where people are with family

Exodus 20: the order of the 10 Commandments

The 4th commandment – honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy

The 5th commandment – children honor your parents

(When you set time aside of the Lord and keep it sacred, the result is that you’ll have a stronger bond between parents and children.)

The outside world fades into the background. Have meals together. Make it a habit- a ritual